'Video of the Week' Page

Each week, I'll be adding a 'Video of the Week' to the main page, and, depending on its nature, give a technical analysis of the rowing, or explain what it is that motivates me about the video. This week, the VOTW is another race from the 2006 World Championships at Eton -- perhaps it's a combination of missing the UK and anticipating the 2012 Olympics (which are to take place on that course) that has me referencing this particular regatta so much. The race here is the Men's 4-, and the effort is impressive from the Americans, who have been struggling to find a combination outside the VIII for some time. The crew to watch, however, is the British four, who would go on to win the Beijing Olympics, and who make the most of their power by being extremely efficient with their use of energy.

Trending posts this month

"I Row Crew" — Rowing in 'The Social Network'

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Like many of the rowing faithful, I've been keeping up with the saga penned by Dan Boyne about the filming of the rowing scenes in David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin's The Social Network , and I must say I had high hopes going into the film. The first problem I encountered: the phrase, "I row crew." It was uttered so many times before anyone "rowed crew" on the water that I had trouble buying any of it later. It's understandable that the character of Mark Zuckerberg makes that mistake, since he has no idea about the sport. But when the Winklevoss twins themselves utter the phrase several times, one begins to wonder where Boyne was when these lines were not being chopped or changed. Seriously, who says that? As far as the actual rowing goes, the first scene, which has the twins out training in a pair along with the rest of the Harvard squad, is not all bad — it just ends that way. The line, "Those guys are freakin' fast" is certainly every b...
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ACE Series, Part 11: Henley Royal Regatta Begins with a Draw

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Photo: Hannah Wagner The Henley Royal Regatta draw took place Saturday afternoon, in a room with no air conditioning. Fate and the stewards smiled upon some crews, and seemed to laugh at others ( Cornell vs. Syracuse in the Temple Challenge Cup on day one—one assumes that had St. Joe’s or Drexel come this year, they’d have gotten Temple first). Not many things in life are decided by a Commander of the British Empire in a blue blazer with five Olympic gold medals picking your name out of a goblet, but Henley isn’t like a lot of things in life. First off, the Temple. The wording of eligibility used to exclude anyone that made a "blue"—i.e., made one of the top two eights of the Oxford-Cambridge boat race—or the American equivalent. This was typically enforced as no one from an EARC or PAC-12 first varsity eight. That was replaced with "won a U23 medal."* Never say never, but it's now conceivable that any of the top American collegiate crews with j...
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Best Rowing Drills: 5 Favorites of Olympic Champion Esther Lofgren

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Lofgren training in the single (Photo courtesy of Esther Lofgren) Olympic gold medalist Esther Lofgren is no stranger to success on the water. In addition to her podium-topping performance with the U.S. women's eight in London, Lofgren also won two world titles (2010, 2011), with her first international medal—a bronze—coming in the women's straight four in 2006. Here, Lofgren shares some insight into the drills that have helped her progress technically along the way.
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The Complete Guide to Rowing Machine Benefits: Why Indoor Rowing Is Perfect for (Virtually) Everyone

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The rowing machine (or ergometer) has evolved significantly over decades, but its core purpose remains unchanged: bringing the comprehensive full-body training experience from water to land. Today, with immersive workout experiences available through streaming platforms and integrated displays, the gap between indoor rowing and on-water training has narrowed substantially. Of course, it's never going to be a 1:1 feeling from the dock to the boat, and rowers (typically with not-great ergs) are apt to point out that 'ergs don't float.' But the value of rowing machines for fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and beginners alike is undeniable. Document Table of Contents: Essential Rowing Machine Benefits Cardiovascular Health Improvements Indoor rowing provides exceptional cardiovascular training by consistently working at the edge of your lactic acid threshold, building greater endurance, power, and VO2 max capacit...
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Inside Cal Rowing: Nick Trojan's New Feature Film on the Golden Bears

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Inside Rowing || Cal Berkeley Mens Rowing from Sneeky || Nick Trojan on Vimeo . Last year around this time, USRowing athlete-turned-filmmaker Nick Trojan released his first in a series documenting some of the most storied rowing programs in the country, offering a window into Harvard Crew . Now, he's releasing the second in that series—this one on the program at Cal, where Canadian Olympian and Cal grad Scott Frandsen has taken the reins as head coach. Here, we catch up with Nick on the background and inspiration behind the project, as well as how he crafted this piece on the Golden Bears. RowingRelated: What is the inspiration behind your series on rowing? What is it about the sport that you feel the need to communicate? Is there more to the story than what is out there now? Nick Trojan:  I'd say my love for competition and my love for watching movies and filmmaking itself have driven me the most. Ever since my dad let me use our family's video cam...
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